Balanced
by Shadow'sFoxFire
Summary: One minute Mina has to deal with every day normal high school annoyances and the next she's dealing with a creepy cloaked figure, a brother who miraculously recovered from his coma and being in a completely strange place with new people. Riku x Oc
1. Loosing Balance chpt 1

"She seems really shaken up by the whole thing…." The voices grew quieter. The whole thing was so surreal. It was impossible, or at least it was supposed to be, but apparently it wasn't. A shiver overtook Mina's body; she felt numb, so numb. All of this…this…, she didn't even know what the call it, had started a few days ago. Everything had started out so normal, so typical and now it seemed like ages and ages ago.

_A few days ago Mina had been sitting in class, not really paying attention._

"While it might bore you so it would be best for you to pay attention Mina," A few of the student giggling at her scolding, not like they could really do anything else. Mentally Mina rolled her eyes but physically she smiled at her history teacher, it wasn't his fault he was an idiot. Currently they were learning about Russia, but see Mina had the upper hand; she was Russian and new its some what jaded history. It wasn't like she was learning anything but sadly the oh so dearest teacher did not see it that way, no he thought it be that she suffer. Thankfully though the bell rang saving her from even more monotone drab, not that her next class was much better.

Normally art was a thrill for Mina but as of late it just hadn't been the same. Maybe it was because her friend Cena was mad at her or maybe it was because her other friend, Misha, had started dating Cena? Whatever the reason the class just wasn't the same, and honestly it was no fun being isolated and left out. In all honestly it kind of stung that her friend could forget about her so quickly.

"Hey, Mina, wait up!" Misha jogged up beside her and slung an arm around her shoulder, "What's up? You've been kind of quiet lately, everything okay?" Leave it to Misha to be the one to catch up. Sighing, Mina just gave him a weak smile, "It's been kind of hard to get a word in edge wise with Cena always talking about your next date…" she trailed off as Cena came into view. She had a strange expression on her face and if Mina didn't know any better she'd thought that Cena'd been giving her a dirty glare. Great, just what she needed drama, and friend drama at that.

In class they were working on still life and surprisingly drawing fruit over and over again was actually relaxing, it also didn't leave a lot of time for talking either.

"Mina can you come here for a moment?" confused, Mina approached the art teacher, "Is everything okay at home?"

"Yea, why, did someone tell you something else?"

"No, it's just come to my attention that you've been…well removing yourself from your classmates. Normally you're a very sociable person." It all started to click into place.

"Everything's fine Ms. Smith, I promise and if it would help any then next time she's concerned please just tell Cena to talk to me." Mina started to turn away but was stopped.

"It wasn't your friend, Mina. I'm worried about you, especially sense the accident. I just wanted to make sure you were all right." Mina opened her mouth retort but an attendance aid came in with a pass. Ms. Smith glanced at it before handing it to Mina, "It looks like you're leaving early today. Do have a nice weekend."

"Right, will do." Mina more mumbled to herself then the teacher as she gathered her stuff up. Both Misha and Cena gave her looks, "I've got a dentist appointment, see you all Monday."

Except it wasn't a dentist appointment and her dad didn't look happy. He looked like the living dead; his skin was a pale gray color and his eyes were a dull brown, no were even close to their normal vibrate color.

"Dad, is everything okay?" He didn't answer. He waited until they were in the truck and started crying. Crying like there was no one around. Crying like someone had…died. "Dad? Dad you're scaring me! What's going on? What happened?" Mina could feel tears gathering in her eyes, the last time she'd seen her father cry was when her mother died.

"It's…it's your brother, Jack. He's, god I know even know how to explain this, he's missing. He just, I don't even know how. Oh god."

"Missing? But…how? He's not even awake and besides it's not like he could just get up and walk out of the hospital! It just isn't possible!" stifling back her sobs, Mina struggled to understand just exactly what her dad was even trying to tell her. It didn't make any sense.

Her brother, Jack, god did she ever miss him, was in a comma and her and her father had been told almost repeatedly that there was a slim chance that he'd ever wake up. The whole mess brought back such horrible memories. It'd been so stupid. Mina had convinced Jack to go on a store run with her. It was so stupid, it wasn't even a necessity, she'd just wanted to get some ice cream or something, but they didn't even make it to the store. They were at a stop light and they had the green light, but someone coming the opposite way didn't see their red light. There was a loud, almost defining noise and an ungodly bright light and pain, loads and loads of pain. Neither of them had even realized what had happened until the driver who'd caused the wreck stumbled out and started crying. Mina realized she was screaming and Jack, Jack wasn't moving. He was just still and bloody. It was all too much and by the time the paramedics arrived she'd thought he was dead, but no, the next worse thing, a comma. He was asleep, for always and forever. She blamed herself and the drunk driver too. But now Mina was being told her brother had not only woken up but had somehow managed to escape the hospital without being seen? There was no way that was even possible.

By the time Mina came back to herself they were home. Her father had decided to drop her off at the house and go to the hospital by himself, telling her the cock-a-bull excuses that she was to out of it and it would be for the better if someone was home just incase. Mina thought she was numb before but there was no way it could compare to the way she felt in that instant. Completely drained, she headed straight for her room. Her bed never looked more inviting. Collapsing onto Mina immediately fell into a dreamless sleep.

When she awoke it was dark out and her dad still wasn't home and her phone had no missed class, _He's probably still at the hospital. Maybe it was a mistake and Jack is still asleep in his room?_ God knows that made more sense than what she'd been told. Blinking, Mina rubbed her eyes, for a moment; no she was just still waking up. But for a moment it looked like there was someone standing outside and it had sort of looked like her brother. But that still wasn't possible, was it? It just wasn't fair! Why was he being punished for a drunken idiot's mistake! "Because God has a funny sense of humor." Her stomach growled, effectively distracting her mind from the guilt slowly starting to build up.

Making her way to the kitchen Mina was surprised to see a note hastily scrawled out. It looked like Misha's writing.

_**Hey M meet me in the normal hang out. We need to talk.**_

_**-MS**_

Sighing heavily, Mina grabbed her keys and headed for the park close by. It wasn't too late so there was a good chance that he was still there. The walk didn't take that long and sure enough there was Misha lying on top of the monkey bar. "Oi, Monkey, what do you want?"

"Guess you'll have to come up here and find out, now wont you?" Smiling Mina shook her head but stopped. That didn't sound like Misha, his voice wasn't that low. "Misha?" she called again, hoping that it was just her imagination.

"Yea?" This time the answer came from behind her. Mina whirled around but no one was there.

"You ok?" This time it was in front of her, turning again Mina came face to face with not Misha but Jack. Tear flooded her eyes and her knees began to shake. There was just no way, no way. But here he was, standing in front of her like it was only yesterday and not months since they'd seen each other. "J…Jack?" Her knees gave out and he were there for her and caught her like he'd always had. "How? How are you here? How are you even awake?"

"Honestly, I have no clue. I heard a voice and I don't know the first thing I remember is opening my eyes and being home. But then….I'm not really sure because then I was here, waiting I guess for you. I don't really know." He trailed off some looking uncomfortable. Vaguely Mina noticed his short red hair had grown out and returned to its natural sandy blond color. "Mina, we really should go, it isn't safe here."

"What are you talking about? It's a park Jack and it's not even that late."

"No, really we need to get out of here." But it was too late and even though it was already dark out it seemed to grow darker, a sense of dread filled both of them. It seemed like the shadows were moving and dancing. Swaying this way and that and getting closer.

Roughly Jack grabbed his sister's arm and started running, he didn't know why but the park no longer felt safe.

"Ow! Jack! Stop it! You're hurting me!" struggling against her brother, Mina finally was able to ripper her arm free only to fall and scrape her knee. When she looked back up Jack was no where to be seen, "Jack? Where are you, this isn't funny?" a twig broke and the trees rustled. Everything seemed to much more menacing now. Just what was going on and where was Jack!

"Well, I do have to give the boy credit; he really is an excellent actor. Much better then I would have thought." A cloaked figure seemed to appear in front of her, their face was hidden and instinctively Mina took a step back. Nothing was really making sense anymore. It was like the world had decided to throw out the rule book. "Come now child, you have no reason to fear me. I wish to do you know harm." The man took a step closer and she took another one away. "Come now, you don't wish to hurt my feelings do you?" His voice was silky and menacing all at once, Mina could just imagine the twisted smirk sprawled out over the cloaked man's face.

"Please just leave me alone."

"Now why would I do that? You see child I actually need you." He took another step towards her and Mina found she couldn't move away. Not because she didn't want to, no because she couldn't move. Everything seemed to close in on her as he continued to approach and as Mina struggled more to move the harder it became. "It's useless the darkness has a hold on you and isn't letting go." Gently a gloved hand reached out and stroked her cheek. Mina screamed. She began to sink and a feeling of death filled her. It felt like she was decaying from the inside out! Still she continued to struggle. The man leaned in close to her until they were face to face, the only part of her not consumed by the dark abyss pulling her in. "Let me let you in on a little secret," he paused, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Leave her alone!" The last thing Mina saw before being completely consumed was her baby brother tackling the cloaked creep. Then there was nothing.

When she awoke she heard voices, murmurs really.

"I think she's coming around." The voice sounded so nice, peaceful and trusting. For a moment Mina thought she had died and gone to heaven, but fate was much crueler. Her eyes were assaulted by bright lights and the shadows of people standing around her. There was a petite woman with kind eyes in a pink sundress with brown hair. Was she the one that'd been talking a second ago? Then a man with razored brown hair and a scare blocked her line of sight. He seemed distant and kind of scary. What was going on and where was she? "How are you feeling?" The women with brown hair spoke in a soft voice.

Mina opened her mouth but no words came out, how was she? Was that some kind of joke? She was terrified, shell shocked and possibility dream? It was the only thing that made sense, well to her it did. She closed her mouth and shook her head only to be hit with a wave of dizziness. A groan of pain escaped her and her head hit the pillow again. "What's going on? Where am I?" Her voice came out hoarse, just how long had she been out?

"Well, you're in Radiant Garden, as for what's going on, well I'm afraid I have some ill news for you…" The woman paused letting Mina soak in what she'd said then continued. "Your world, the place you come from it's been consumed by the Darkness. I don't know if anyone else escaped but you made it here, to a different world. You're safe and in the light." She offered a sad smile in condolences.

"What? No, you must be mistaken. This is a dream or something! This, this isn't real! None of you are real! I'll wake up soon, I know I will." But she didn't. It didn't matter that Mina had pinched herself multiple times, nothing changed. She was still in a room full of strangers; in a new world and hers, her home was gone. Tears started to fall from her eyes; her throat seemed to tighten like a snake coiling around its prey, crushing the life out of it.

"Oh dear, please, it isn't so bad. You're safe and there's a good chance that you aren't the only one." The man shot a glare towards the woman. They seemed to have a whole conversation in a matter of seconds. "I know this is hard to take in, please just for now, rest up. You must be exhausted and know that you're safe." Both left the room, leaving Mina alone with her thoughts.

And now they seemed to be discussing her, trying not to disturb her it seemed, but what was she going to do? What about her friends and life at home? What about her brother and father? What happened to them? Sleep soon over took her again; it just proved to be too much.

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

Shadow'sFoxFire here, and I just wanted to say thank you for read, it's very much appreciated. If you have any suggestions please let me know and I hope to have chapter two published soon. Thanks again!


	2. Confusion chpt 2

I don't own Kingdom Hears or any of the characters, at all. I wish I did but I don't.

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><p>"Hey Aerith!" A girl with short black hair came bounding in with a big smile on her face that faltered slightly when she was Leon and Aerith's expressions. "Is everything okay?"<p>

"Oh, hello Yuffie, it's the girl. She's awake she took the news really bad."

"What'd you expect?" Leon gruff voice was a sharp contrast compared to the girls. "She's in a new place and doesn't know how she got here."

"How do you know? Maybe she's just…I don't know!"

"No, Leon's right, Yuffie, she started rambling on about how this had to be a dream and she was pretty beat up when she got here, I don't think she even remembers asking us for help."

"Do you think it was smart to leave her alone then?" Yuffie asked while biting her lips, "What if she hurts herself or something?"

"She needs time," was Leon's answer which was followed by a loud crash. The trio ran to the girl's room only to find the window open and the girl gone.

"So much for being okay." Yuffie mumbled under her breath, earning a glare from the other two.

"We need to find her, let's go."

_Shit, shit, shit! What the hell is going on?_ The buildings were a blur as Mina ran past them. After the man and woman left the room Mina made a quick and brash decision; she left. True climbing out the window hadn't been the wisest choice but it was the only one she had. Not that she expected her body to feel like a rag dolls or her limbs to be so sore. It felt like she was moving in slow mo. Every breath brought piercing pain and every movement hurt so badly. Trying to clear her mind was one thing, but Mina didn't even know where she was going or if it was even safe.

BAM! Mina collided with what felt like a ton of brick and stumbled backwards effetely landing on her bum. "Ow, shit." Blinking, Mina looked up at what she'd run into. Not a what, but a who. A Man with blond hair and bright blue eyes was staring down at her. There wasn't really an expression on his face. Mina let out a groan, she wasn't even sure if she'd be able to stand back up. "God, what are you made out of, steel?" Slowly Mina stood up, her legs shaking in weak protest. The man just raised an eyebrow at her. What was he, a mute? Finally he grunted and just as he started to turn away something stopped him.

"Whoa, what's that," Bending back down, despite her body's protest, Mina reached her hand out towards a blackish shadowy creature with big cute eyes and curly antennas. "Hey there cutie, what are you?" The creature leaned in close to Mina; it almost seemed like it was sniffing her hand then cocked its head to the side. It was just so cute. Mina just wanted to scoop it just into her arms and snuggle with it like it was a puppy or something. For the first time since she woke up she felt a ping of happiness. For a split second it was there, than it was ripped away. The blond hair man turned back towards her and before she could even blink he'd drawn this massive sword and attacked the poor defenseless creature. A yelp of surprise and fear poured from Mina's lips as she fell back on her bum again. "What-WHAT THE HELL! Why'd you kill him! What'd he ever do to you!" The blond hair man didn't answer him; instead the man with the scar came jogging up to them. He glanced between the two of them then offered Mina a hand.

"You okay?" though he seemed more interested in the other man, not her.

"He…he just…there was this cute creature….he…he just…the sword….why?" Leon glanced back to Cloud who just shrugged. "She was trying to befriend a heartless."

"A what?" Know Mina really did feel like she was going insane.

"I'll explain everything to you after we get back to the house. The thing you thought was so cute was after your heart. It would have killed you. Cloud did you a favor. Come on."

The walk back was quiet and quick. The house was an old look two store house that was an off white color and looked inviting. Mina almost felt embarrassed walking back in.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay. We were worried about you." The woman in the pink dress welcomed Mina with a warm smile, "I'm sure you have a lot of question. It would be best if you sat down." She gestured toward the couch though oddly enough Mina chose to sit on the floor, using the couch as something to lean against. "For starters I'm Aerith, this is Yuffie," The black haired girl, Yuffie, interjected. "That's the GREAT NINJA Yuffie!" Aerith smiled, "the one standing to your left is Leon-"

"He's our fearless leader!" The ninja girl interjected again. Leon shot the loud girl a sharp glare. "And blondie's name is Cloud. What's your name?"

"I'm Mina." Well at least now she knew all their names. But what was up with the ninja girl, was she really even a ninja?

"So, Mina, where are you from?" The girl was a ball of energy it seemed like. Even when Yuffie was standing still she still seemed to be moving. It had to be a trick of her eyes. No, Mina knew she needed to focus. Yuffie had asked something…where she was from.

"What do you mean? I'm from Earth; you know the little green and blue planet. It's the third planet in the solar system." Three of the four people in the room were giving her strange looks. Did they not know? Wait, what was it that the brown haired woman, Aerith, had said? She was in a different world. "I'm from Earth but I live in the country of North America, more specifically Texas." Mina trailed off, telling someone that seemed odd. It was like she was talking to a bunch of Aliens or something. But they weren't. At least they all looked human enough. So many questions plagued her mind.

"Oh, well I'm afraid that there isn't a planet like that around here. Do you know how you got here?"

"I…umm it's all a little foggy. I remember being at a park and talking to someone but…after that it's all kind of a blur."

"You came to us asking for help then collapsed. You weren't in the best shape." Leon held Mina's gaze. His eyes were a blue gray color and cold. He didn't seem unfeeling but his eyes seemed so closed off, they reminded her of Jack's eyes. That's how they'd looked. Tears started to gather in her eyes. _Sure do seem to be crying a lot. What am I, a child? _But how could she have forgotten about him? He'd just appeared and what about the creepy guy? A wave of guilt crashed down on her.

"This is kind of hard to explain but there is a good chance that your world has been consumed by darkness."

"Right, I think you might have told me that before I ran out."

"If that is the case than there is a good chance that you saw these creatures right before everything happened. Some of them are some other are pretty big. They're called heartless and they all have the same symbol somewhere on their bodies. They're all after one thing: hearts. They are dangerous and evil. They come from the darkness and move from world to world. Sometimes a few lucky ones make it out. You were one of the lucky ones."

"So…the small little black thing from earlier was going to kill me? I guess that mean's I owe you an apology? Wait, is there anyway that my brother could have made it?" There was a heavy silence.

"There is a possibility, though there's no way to know which world he ended up on."

"So, he could be anywhere?" Aerith nodded sadly. "Then, then I have to believe that he's okay. You said that, what'd you called them?" "Heartless" "Right, Heartless, they can pop up anywhere so then how do you protect yourself from them?"

"Weapons and magic." Those were the first words Mina heard Cloud say.

Life was about to get interesting. Being in a new place was bad enough but a new world where danger lurked around ever corner? That was almost too much to deal with. If Mina wanted to survive she was gonna have to learn to fight. Something told her that the next few days were going to be hell.

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><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>

Thank you so much for reading Balanced. It probably seems like it's moving a long really slow and I'm sorry for that. The next chapter's going to be a short one and a little bit different. As always I hope are enjoying this story and if you have any suggestions please let me know.


	3. Memory Lane chpt 3

**Author's Note**

Normally this is at the end of the chapter but there are a few things that as readers you should know. For starters this is written in first person. The whole chapter is from Jack's point of view. Jack, in case it isn't clear, is Mina's younger brother by two years. Mina is 18 and Jack is almost 16, just a few months away. Misha is 18 and Cena is 17 1/2. This chapter looks at some of Jack and Mina's childhood. In the begining there is someone talking to Jack but he's asleep so all it is, is a voice. Jack's thoughts/words are in the normal font and the voice's is italicized. I hope you enjoy and suggests are liked. Thank you for reading.

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><p>Mina? Mina where are you? Why aren't you here? Fuck! Where am I? <em>You are in your own creation. <em>Who said that! Where are you? _Demanding boy aren't you? Don't worry so much about me but about yourself, or do you not remember your time in the hospital. It was __**I **__who kept you company. It was __**I**__ who stayed with you telling you everything would be okay. __**Not**__ you family and most certainly __**Not**__ your sister. Or have you forgotten how she abandoned you, how she's the reason you were even in a coma. _That's not true! I agreed to go with her to the store and the guy who hit us was drunk! It isn't Mina's fault! She wouldn't do anything to hurt me. She isn't cruel. _Are you so certain? _

Everything faded. There was nothing just black. Not even that it was like there was no colors and I was in a placed that didn't exist. It was odd.

"Jaaaack? Jack where are you?"

"Mina?" I started running toward her voice. I couldn't see her but she was there, she had to be.

"Come out come out where ever you are!"

"RAAAWRRRR!" I stopped running. There was Mina and me. It was odd seeing both of us. We were younger, she was probably 6 and I was 4. I remember that day. We were playing hide and seek and then, "Kids, I'm home." Dad came home…with bad news.

"DADDY!" We were so happy then. What happened?

"Where's mommy?" Dad was holding Mina in his arms when she asked him. He got really quiet and walked over to the couch. The younger version of me trailed behind him. I don't even think he saw me.

"Mom isn't coming home. She's going to stay at a friend's house for a while. I don't know when we'll see her again."

"But why? Doesn't she love us anymore?"

"Of course she does Honey, just she needs some time. There are some grown up things that we're dealing with right now. That's all. She still loves you." I remember thinking, what about me? But I never asked. I guess I was afraid of what the answer would be. Mom never did come home after that. She just stayed at her "friend's" house. Apparently she didn't love us like Dad thought she did.

Then the scene changed. I was older, we both were. It looked like the 3rd grade pageant I was in. I was only a tree or something like that but I was still having fun. I remember thinking of how proud Dad was of me only to find out later that he didn't come; something came up at the office. Mina was there though, and he made it to her things. It didn't mater what they were. But she was always there for me. The next memory made me cringe. It was the first time Mina had had any friends spend the night and Misha had offered to come over to keep me company though he was my sister's friend. Cena and two other of her friends came. They all took one look at me and giggled. It was horrible having to relive this and seeing me relive it all. I could see how red my face got and how awkward I really was. Even when me from the memory retreated I stayed. "Was that your brother?" one of the other girls asked. I don't know her name.

"Yea, why?"

"He's kind of cute," a burst of giggles interrupted her and I cringed. "What, like in a dorky way."

"Okay, ew, that's my brother."

"Okay then, what about Misha? Are you and him dating?" Cena's eyes narrowed. It was obvious her crush on Misha, good thing Mina knew too.

"What about him, he's like another brother."

"You don't say…." Cena shot the girls a glare.

"Well I'm sure your brother could get a girlfriend if he stopped looking so girly." Ouch, that really hurt. I'll admit I'm not the buffest guy around, but I'm not weak. I half expected Mina to defend me, but she didn't. Instead she just laughed like it was some kind of joke and I wasn't in the next room. _She obviously doesn't really care. If she did she would have defended you._ The voice came back. I wanted to yell and scream that he was wrong but it didn't seem like that.

When I was in the coma it was this voice that had woken me up. I became aware that I wasn't awake and learned how to manipulate the world that I had created for myself. He'd helped me but never once showed me who they were or what they looked like. It was this voice, this person, who I learned to depend on. They had told me I would wake up and when I did my sister would be at the house, not the hospital. That she didn't care but if I asked her to come to the park she would. When I woke up no one was there and I left, like I was told to. It was so exhilarating to be awake after months of sleeping. The sky was so bright and everything felt new.

At first I didn't know what I was supposed to do but it was the voice, again, that told me what to do. He told me to go home, to write a note and meet my sister at the park. But when she showed up she hadn't been looking for me, but Misha. Wasn't that proof that she didn't care. But…Mina had seemed happy to see me. Then the voice came again telling me we were in danger and I tried, I tried to hard to help her, to get away but she'd pulled back. Didn't my own sister trust me? I…I don't really know what to think anymore. Everything seems different now, Mina seems different now. Was she always like that? Did anyone care? Even Misha, who claimed to be my friend, only seemed to hang around because of Mina and Dad. Dad favored her, she was his little girl. I was just always kind of …there…

Sadness and self-loathing filled me. It felt like I was spiraling out of control and no one was there to stop me, to help me. Mina was going to graduate this year and everyone seemed so focused on her even though I was in the top ten of my class and played a sport. It didn't seem like it mattered. No one seemed to care when I got fed up and dyed my hair red and cut it short and spiked it but the first time Mina trimmed her hair in ages everyone seemed to freak out, asking her if she was okay. Was I just that invisible?

Than I was falling, in this strange place were nothing existed, not even direction, I knew I was falling. Dimly I was aware that I was glad, maybe, just maybe I should have stayed in my coma. I would have never known any of this and none of this pain would be here. It's like everyone has a void in their life and my sister fills it but makes my bigger until it consumes me.

"But you aren't alone, I'm here." Surging up, I was a little boy standing next to me. He had blue hair and mismatched eyes. "You won't ever be alone if I'm here. I won't abandon you like your sister did." Pain hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Mina didn't abandon me."

"Oh, well then where is she?" The boy was kind of weird. His eyes looked straight through me like he was staring right at my very core.

"I….I don't know, but she didn't abandon me…I think." The last part came out in a whisper. She wouldn't, would she? I felt very drained, both physically and emotionally. Man did I ever sound like a chick, great.

"Well, I hope she finds you soon 'cause you seem really nice but until she does I'll be your friend." He paused for a moment, I didn't even bother looking at him, all I saw was the inside of my eyelids. "If you're tired you can sleep, you're safe." then everything went black and I was out like a light.

"Sleep well, you'll need all the strength you can get." The child that had once been standing next to Jack's bed was down older, closer to Jack's age. Everything was going as planned.


End file.
